For decades, Neville Island was home to farms that exported asparagus and strawberries to some of the finest hotels and restaurants in New York City. During World War I, the federal government seized some land on Neville Island to build an ammunition plant. World War II made Neville Island an industrial center as other industries moved onto the island. Today, Neville Island is home to many industr
ial facilities, including two chemical plants and coke works, that emit a significant portion of the total amount of air pollution in Allegheny County. Many citizens grew tired of waiting for the government to take action on these polluters. In 1996, Clean Water Action, a non-profit environmental organization, brought together residents from Brighton Heights, Bellevue, Avalon, Ben Avon, Ben Avon Heights, Emsworth, Kilbuck, Neville Township, Robinson, Kennedy, Stowe, and McKees Rocks to form the Neville Island Good Neighbor Committee.
